The Excise Department vowed Wednesday to strip the licences of entertainment venues which operate after legal hours, in prohibited zones or sell alcohol to underage people, particularly during the upcoming New Year holidays.
Department director-general Krisada Jeenawijarana said random inspections will be launched of entertainment venues, local communities and other target areas nationwide, by a joint force of excise officials and other authorities during the New Year celebrations.
Mr Krisada said entertainment venues would break the law if they operate in prohibited zones such as near educational institutes and this was regarded as indirect support for alcohol consumption among teenagers.
Liquor outlets will also face the revocation of their operating licences if they fail to pay liquor, beverages and tobacco taxes in accordance with the Excise Act, Mr Krisada said.
According to the department's inspections of nearly 9,500 alcohol outlets under an order by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the licences of 321 operators found in breach of the excise law were revoked.
Also, between September and November, there were 3,962 cases relating to excise law violations, resulting in fines of 161 million baht in total.
Of the cases, 1,801 involved alcohol beverages, leading to 36 million baht in fines, and 1,544 to tobacco resulting in 111 million baht in fines.
In another development, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, an agency under the Interior Ministry, has devised six preventive measures against road accidents which will be intensified between Dec 28 and Jan 3 to reduce injuries and fatalities.
Department director-general Chayapol Thitisak said the measures were issued in response to an order by the government which had voiced concerns over public safety during the festive season.
Under the measures, road safety campaigns and activities will be launched to raise public awareness of traffic accidents, Mr Chayapol said.
He said local administrative agencies nationwide had been instructed to improve the traffic environment such as maintaining roads and structures while special lanes and rest areas along motorways will also be designated.
Mr Chayapol said motorists will be encouraged to have their vehicles checked before their trips while inspections of public and private inter-provincial buses will also be carried out.
As for tourism, he said safety measures will be put in place for travellers. The agency will work with officials stationed at top tourist attractions across the country as well as border areas.
Preventive measures will be implemented for water transport with inspections of piers and pontoons while rescue teams will be put on standby, he said.
The agency will work closely with local hospitals to devise post-accident rescue measures so paramedics and rescue workers can reach accident scenes as soon as possible, Mr Chayapol said.
